Doing Time
by ShadowBYeBYe
Summary: Duncan and Courtney. Yes, it is Duncan and Courtney. It's good and you should read it. Delinquent goes to jail, CIT becomes a lawyer, lawyer is delinquent's lawyer. Now they can not be lovers. Yeah. That'll work.
1. Chapter 1

**This story has been in my mind since I started watching TDI. This is a oneshot. I think if I added anymore it would ruin it. Let me know what y'all think, yah?**

Life sucked. That's all there was too it. Prison, worse then juvy, but still the same principle. He had to work a little harder to not get caught next time. Next time, yeah but that was if he got released this time. He rolled over onto his back and stared up at the cold cement ceiling. Cement ceilings, cement walls, barred doors. Shit, he was starting to understand why those zoo animals attacked their trainers. He had wanted on more then one account to attack the guards. He let a smile crawl across his face as he mentally pictured himself pouncing on a guard lion style. He closed his eyes and blocked out the noise coming from his cell mate. A rising commotion on one of the lower levels signaled a potential lock down. He frowned as he blocked it out further until it all became a gentle whirring background noise. He took in a deep breath, imagining that instead of the musky smell he took in nothing but fresh air. His fingers ached to feel the grass again. Three years. Three long miserable years he had been in the hell hole. Sure they were allowed yard time, but what good was dry dead grass and dirt if you couldn't run without a tower guard pinning you down the scope of an assault rifle? All because he let his temper get the best of him All because of that STUPID reality show he went on when he was sixteen. And all because of that goody-two shoes CIT. He blinked his eyes open as his thoughts moved over to that saucy little thing. Such a good girl. Such a pain in the ass, but what he wouldn't give to be back with her. His mind seemed to wander to her more then it should.

He brought his hands up and folded them behind his head. He had almost forgotten what she looked like. Almost, but not fully. She had freckles. He knew that, and perfectly kept brown hair. Did she wear a skirt..? No, that was that blonde dumbbell. No she wore those tight pants with the layered shirt as if she was already an office professional. She had those deep intense onyx eyes that held just enough mischief in the farthest corners to catch his attention. Then there was the tiny body of hers. He had found out all too well just how well she fit in his hands. He closed his eyes as he remembered the look on her face when he showed up on her door step. She was completely shocked, but it was a good shocked. He could still feel the force rolling inside of him in which she threw her arms around him. He had felt so warm, and content. Their relationship was fully of spontaneity, mostly due to the fact that she changed her mind quite frequently.

He had tamed down a lot, he realized this pretty quick, but not before she let him pierce her naval. He felt the smile pull at his lips. He had tried to talk her into to letting him pierce her tongue, or her lip, but she didn't want it to be visible. So of course, he just had to ask if he could pierce her nipple. He hadn't checked but he probably still had the scar on his cheek where she hit him and her ring busted the skin.

She was so upset that she hurt him that she let him pierce her naval as soon as he could see straight. He closed his eyes as remembered vividly how she laid down on her couch and pulled her shirt up, but not enough for him to get a look at the goods. She was so modest, and it really wasn't the good girl thing, more then it was the pure fact that she was ashamed of her body. Wrongfully ashamed. He had rubbed his hands together so they wouldn't be cold, but she jumped when he touched her anyway. He still didn't know whether it was fear or something more that caused the jolt, and he probably would never know. She didn't even wince, however, as he jabbed the needle through the flesh. She was quiet, and watched him with curiosity and intensity riding her eyes.

He heard the weight of his cell mate shift in the bunk underneath him, bringing him out of his memories for a moment. But only for the briefest of instances, and he dove back into those memories. They were some of the best he had. He remembered the warmth and silky smooth texture that her skin possessed as he wiped the small stream of blood from her stomach as he slid in the ring. He could remember thinking as he screwed the ball into place, that her caramel skin was almost as perfect as she was.

He closed his eyes as he took himself back to that very instant. An urge over took him. He just wanted to touch her. It was like his mind shut off as he bent over her. He heard her gasp in a breath as he kissed her stomach. She didn't exhale until he sat back up. He could see the look on her face just as plain as ever. She was surprised confused and a little angry all at the same time. The mixture of feelings swelled in his gut and brought a little nausea to the back of his throat. Three years. They had been together three years to the day when everything started going down hill. He sat up as he heard the guards coming their way.

"Up and at-em, there slick." He jumped down off of his bunk and shot a glare at his diminutive cell mate.

"Stick it, woman." He growled at the bitch. The man fell back on his bed laughing then stood up.

"That's not my job, honey buns." The large guards stopped at their cell door and looked in. Duncan glared at his cousin as he opened the cell door. Out of all the families in the world he had to belong to one that had nothing but cops and prison guards.

"C'mon Duncan. You've got a visitor." The cell door opened with that dragging scraping sound of iron. The other guard held Shio back, as his cousin clamped the irons over his wrist. He dread hearing those words. More often then not, it was some producer or host of a reality show that wanted to follow him through prison life, or offer him a deal after he was released. Sickening bastards. They fed and thrived off of his misery. Anything to make a quick buck. Money Money Money.

Duncan snarled as he walked down that cold row of cells. He hated anything to do with reality shows. It was the reason he was locked away. He and Courtney had made plans to go to one of the parks just outside of the city. She had spilled something on her shirt, he couldn't remember now what it was, and decided that she needed to stop and buy a new one. For whatever reason women have to buy something new. She drug him into one of the higher up stores, of course it had to be one he stood out in like a sour thumb. She was trying on a hot little red shirt when who should come walking up but Chris Mcwhatever, reality show host and all around ass hole. He ignored him for the most part until he started talking about Courtney, and their relationship. Chris was pushing his buttons and he knew it. The reality host tired to put such a perfect air on when he was on camera, but once the film stopped his demons came out. He held his temper until Chris made one comment to many.

"Didn't take you long to hit it." And that was it. Good old Duncan made a heated come back and beat the man into the ground, with Courtney pulling on him, telling him to stop. He closed his eyes for a moment as the guard unlocked the door to the lower level. He could feel the anger building in his chest, even then, three years after the fact. He was sentenced to four years for assault with intent to injure. Chris's lawyer had pushed for attempted murder, but due to the fact his folks on the force could prove via the store surveillance system that the attack was provoked, it was lowered. The one time in his life he was actually backed by his family.

He had practically sentenced himself to four years of misery. Prison he could handle. It was the fact that after his indictment Courtney's family stepped in and forbade her to even write to him. He had contact with DJ and Geoff through mail and DJ would visit, and send him pictures of animals. Geoff and written him just a short while after he was moved to the new prison. Courtney was sent to college abroad and would be in London for most of the length of his prison term. Duncan snorted to himself as the guard opened the door to the call room. She had probably fallen in love with some tall handsome English gentleman, married and had eight kids by now. He mused to himself cynically as he walked to the last booth. He turned to look at who had the nerve to visit him and interrupt his daydreams. He froze.

A pair of the most beautiful onyx eyes stared at him, with tears glistening in them. Brown hair was pulled neatly into an up-do to match the Giovanni suit. His heart skipped beats in his chest as he looked over her, even more beautiful than he remembered. The modest make up she wore, screamed professionalism, but that little hint of glisten on the plump of her lips gave her all the sexiness that she needed.

"Courtney..." He managed out in a choking whisper. She smiled at him as she stood up. He was still almost across the room. He hadn't taken a single step since he saw her. She saw the breath practically leave his body as he forced himself forward. She put her hand against the glass, and he just stared at it. He brought his hand up against the glass matching hers.

"It's been so long Duncan."

"Princess...why..."Was all he could say as they sat back down. She smiled as she wiped the tears from her face. She pulled a briefcase up and set it on the table in front of her.

"I've really missed you."

"I've missed you too, princess. But..." Duncan's voice trailed off as her smile brighten as she pulled a piece of paper out of her briefcase. She looked up at him and pressed the certification paper against the glass.

"Guess who's your new lawyer?"


	2. Chapter 2

**18 reviews for a oneshot! Okay because I was ask to continue by several people, and I finally am happy with this chapter, I shall continue. BUT I hope to see 18 more reviews for this one. Happy readings. **

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"Lawyer. Hn. I always thought you were good at arguing." He said leaning back in the chair the initial shock of her little surprise ebbing. His eyes moved over her features. It was almost unbelievable how much she had changed in three years. Her face held a few more angles, and had lost a lot of the baby pudge her cheeks had held. She caught his stare and shook her head as a small blush came to her cheeks. She smiled and cocked her head to the side.

"I have good news." Duncan moved his chair forward as he leaned on the small shelf. He shook his head as he let his eyes lock on to hers.

"Just seeing you is news enough, princess." She was more beautiful then he remembered. He marveled again at how she had blossomed into a professional lawyer. The anger inside him boiled but he didn't let it play on his face. It wasn't anger toward her, just the replay of the situation that landed him in prison. Courtney watched his eyes as he seemed to be caught in through.

She took a deep breath and looked over him. The green Mohawk was gone, of course, his velvety black hair untouched by dye. He had circles under his eyes that told of countless sleepless nights. She noticed the thinness of his face, and the new bulk to his arms. She sighed and smiled again.

"Did you know that McClean tried to sue your parents for monetary damages due to pain and suffering caused by your irrational temper?" Duncan's eyes grew wide as he shook his head slowly. Courtney nodded. She hadn't thought they would have told him. It wasn't the wisest decision that Chris had ever made, especially going up against a family of law officials. Duncan shifted in his chair as he waited rather impatiently for her to explain.

Courtney let her eyes linger on him for a moment. She mentally calibrated how she was going to explain to him the new situation he was in. It wasn't the telling him part she was worried about, it was the fact that she had no idea how he would react.

"He lost of course. But he tried to bring up medical expenses from previous injuries and even some cosmetic work that he had done." Duncan shook his head in disbelief.

"He's a dirt bag. Plain and simple. But there is something you aren't telling me, princess." She smiled. After so long he could still read her as if they had never been apart.

"Do you remember Trent? And Cody? Lashawna perhaps?"

"Yeah." He frowned and moved to lean on the small shelf between them. Her face turned back to business as she shifted through some papers in her briefcase.

"Trent was arrested and charged a year ago with assault on Chris. Cody was arrested and charged with intent to injure six months ago, and Lashawna was arrested a week ago for assault." Duncan frowned, his eyebrow arching in question. Courtney pulled a piece of paper out of her briefcase and looked at it as she spoke. "The common factor in each case..." She turned the paper around to reveal a face that both of them knew all too well.

"Chris." Duncan hissed through his teeth. He sat back and and shook his head as he looked at her. He knew he should have done more damage to the bastard. He went to jail for it anyway, he should have made it truly worth his while. Courtney watched him. She could almost hear what he was thinking. She shook her head.

"He's a con artist. But you probably guessed that. Trent was badgered about his faulty relationship with Gwen during the show and their attempted reconciliation afterwards, until he snapped. Just as you did." Courtney looked down at the expensive watch over her wrist, then looked back up to him.

"I have a meeting with one of my other clients in twenty minutes, and it's a fifteen minute drive back to town." Duncan nodded.

"Do what you got to do, princess. I'm not going anywhere." She finished putting the briefcase and stood up latching it shut. She took a deep breath and watched as he stood up on the other side of the thick glass.

"I told you I had good news. Chris being beating again wasn't it."

"It's good enough." Courtney smiled wider at his comment and shook her head.

"No. No it's not, Duncan. Sleep well tonight. Tomorrow you get out." His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her. He shook his head, feeling like he had done that far to often in the last few minutes.

"Don't play with me Courtney."

"I wouldn't dare." She said with a grinned and turned, walking out of the room. Duncan listened to the pop of her heals as she disappeared behind the thick metal doors. Duncan turned around as the guard came over to shackle him. As he was led back to his cage, while ignoring the usually belittling from the guard, he let his mind sink back to the show. Trent...which one was Trent.. Gwen, that was the Gothic chick. Trent was the one that had done her wrong. The musician. Poser.

Duncan blinked as he remembered the rather docile nature of the boy, that could have been perhaps because he was hurt or unconscious during most of the show. It was very believable that Chris was a predator. He would prey on those with quick tempers. He was a leech. Bastard would grab on and suck and suck until the host had enough. Duncan's eyebrow arched. Yeah but leeches couldn't file charges on the host for squishing it, or sue the host's parents for damages.

A grin found its way to his face as the thought of his parents being sued crept into his mind. Chris wouldn't stand a chance. His parents, and family probably knew all the judges on a personal level. Even if the reality show host had a viable case, he wouldn't have stood a chance. That made him smile even wider. His family could be just as malicious as he could, just in a different more legal way.

The scraping sound of his cell door opening, brought him back to his current reality. His cell mate looked over and blinked long feminine eyelashes at him.

"Back so soon, handsome?"

"Can it, Shio. I'm not in the mood." He growled as the guard took the irons off of his wrists. The bitch rolled over on the lower bunk from his side to his back and looked at Duncan.

"You are never in the mood for anything. Can't you just talk?" Duncan glanced down at the frail betty and shook his head. How in the world he got put in the same cell with such a flower was beyond him. He didn't want to talk. He wanted to think. Truthfully all he ever did was think. But in thought he kept his mind out of prison. His freedom was still his in his mind.

Duncan swung himself up onto the top bunk, as the thrill of Courtney's visit settled onto the back of his tongue. Vivid memories of her flooded into his mind. He could close his eyes and see her in London, amongst the elite. Thought he had never been there himself, he knew that she had fit in. She had matured so much in the few years they had been apart, it made him question his own maturity. Had he changed as much as she did?

How would he react if he was placed in the same situation with Chris? He growled at his cell mate as he kicked the mattress. He would probably kill him. Duncan frowned. It was more likely now that he would kill Chris. No. He shook the thought from his mind, as another one entered. More than likely Courtney's getting him out had something to do with the other three and even more likely Chris.

He closed his eyes as he tried to remember Cody. Red head? No, that was Harold and his underwear. Cody was the one...the little guy. Smart fucker. Yeah, he was the one that thought he was something of a playboy, though he was more of a bratty little brother, to hear the girls say it.

Girls...Lashawna. Big girl. He opened his eyes wide as he remembered her. Not really a girl he would want to tangle with himself. She was the kind of girl that could beat you from across the room without even looking at you. The stone ceiling over his head was ominous, and even more ominous was Shio shifting in the bed beneath him. Duncan closed his eyes and frowned. Shio was a violent offender. That frail little dainty thing was a murderer and in for life. The way he had understood it, Shio had injured all of his other cell mates within the first week. Duncan shook his head unintentionally. The betty hadn't even bothered him. He would talk to him, or try to cheer him up. Fuck, the bitch had taken a liking to him. It didn't matter. Shio was the only one he had ever mentioned Courtney to. He thought it was romantic, and something out of a fairytale children's story. Duncan didn't know what kind of screwed up parents would have his situation as a bedtime story or even a scary-tale, but that spoke volumes of the kind of childhood Shio had.

Enough about his cell mate. He would have to forget about him after tomorrow. Once again he would be a free man and be able to take his first breath of that fresh air outside of the prison wall. First thing he was going do to, wrap his arms around Courtney and never let her go.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay please please, especially since I am on semi-hiatus, I would liek to have **at least 15 reviews before I update**. ;) Love you guys. I appreciated every review I have gotten for this story and I will...eventually...get around to replying to all of my reviews. But until then enjoy!

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Courtney sighed and rubbed her temples. Her memories of Duncan were so vivid and horrifying. He was so hard on the outside, he had been to prison and juvy many times, but that day when he was convicted... That day in the courtroom when his blue eyes set on her glassed over with tears, she knew that that wasn't the life that he wanted. He was not a career criminal, he was just a rebellious child acting out against his parents. Her heart tore into so many pieces when she watched that solemn face shed that single tear as the bailiff led him away; she had yet two sew all of the pieces back together. She could remember too well the way she felt when the judge slammed the gavel down finalizing the verdict. Her legs had turned to mush as her knees started to shake. An intense burning in her chest coincided with the tears that streamed down her face, streaking her mascara in trails across her cheeks. She wanted to scream and cry but also to attack that man with the perfect teeth and cruel grin as he smiled at her. She wanted to claw his eyes out and rip his heart form his chest. After all that is what he had done to her. After finally realizing what she had felt for Duncan and just how much he meant to her, he was torn from her and sent to a correctional facility for a crime in which he committed due to provocation.

Courtney reached into her briefcase and pulled the small bottle of migraine pills out. She popped open the cap and dry swallowed two. Her head aches had gotten more frequent since taking the case against Chris. She honestly didn't need a headache when she spoke with Lashawna. Her eyes wandered out of the window as the taxi passed by the trees, leaving just smears of green across her vision. Her chests was burning again. After so many years apart that flame still burned within her. Her heart ached as she thought about the court proceedings that lay ahead of them. Her eyebrows furrowed as a thought crossed her mind. She pulled her briefcase into her lap and pulled one of her files from it. Quickly she skimmed over the report and shook her head. Cody had plead insanity and was put into a correctional mental health hospital. Herving's Home for the Criminally Insane. It would take an act of God to be able to speak with him. Her knowledge of asylums was limited, but what she did know is that seldom, if ever, after being admitted did the 'patient' get better. They were usually fed happy pills and sedatives to make them easier to handle, though most of them merely used the insanity defense to get out of a death penalty or life in prison. The status reports that she had managed to get on him told of a life of denial and delusions of grandeur. He was reprimanded twice for 'verbally assaulting' the nurses. If Courtney remembered correctly, that would mean for Cody calling the nurses a stupid head, or hitting on them. She couldn't see him doing much more 'assaulting' then that, but then again she had never imagined seeing Duncan with solid black hair either.

There she went again. Her mind wandering back to that addictive man. The throbbing in her head subsided but the pain in her chest had refused to die back. No medicine she knew could cure it, no prescription drug could ease it. Only the warmth of his arms around her and the soft press of his lips against hers could make the butterflies in her chest quiet down. A blush lit her face as she scolded herself for thinking like that just before the most important make or break case of her young career. She cursed inwardly at herself for being able to blush so easily as if she were still some giddy school girl.

"Alright lady, you're here." She blinked at the dark circled eyes staring at her through the rear view mirror. She quickly reorganized her briefcase and snapped the latches. She handed him more than enough to cover the fair and shut the door behind her without waiting for her change. Her mind wouldn't be on Lashawna as they spoke of the case. She knew this without even having to think about it. No. Her mind would be thousands of miles away on a tropical beach, lying naked in the sand with a pina colada in one hand and the latest hot novel in the other, while the love of her life lay in the buff next to her snoozing in the tropical sun. Courtney had to stop and take a breath as she entered the womens penitentiary. Duncan had always teased her about her dream vacation, although he had always liked the part that included naked. They had seriously talked about going away on that vacation just a month prior to his arrest. She walked the cold cement halls, counting the steps between each gate.

Nothing bothered her about the men's prison. Sure she got the cat calls and innuendo laced suggestions. No, they were nothing compared to the women's prison. Chills ran down her spine and the nausea bit at the back of her throat every time she walked into the stone house. She took her seat at the visiting table and waited for her client.

While she waited, she let her mind slip back to happier times. Her mind instantly dove into her favorite memory. She had driven over to Duncan's apartment to watch a movie, but there was no movie. All the lights were out and no one answered the door when she knocked. Anger and worried had mixed together in the pit of her stomach then the fear rushed in as she was grabbed from behind a firm hand clamping over mouth. A sharp elbow to the stomach and a stomp on the foot set her free, only to turn around to see Duncan smiling back at her. The bastard had purposely scared her.

Courtney fought the grin that tried to slip onto her face. That was just the start of the night, after starting the moving they had cuddled up on the couch. Neither of them speaking, just sitting there watching the movie. Her head was on his chest and she listed to him breath. The way his chest would rumble when he laughed and that oddly comforting rhythm of his heart. She never got to see the end of the movie because the next thing she knew she was waking up in his arms, still on the couch with the television blaring snow and static. Her eyes had moved to look at him, but his blue eyes were hidden behind sleeping closed lids. Knowing that she should have gone home, but refusing to risk waking him, she had set her head back down on his chest and rifted back to sleep. She had never felt safer or more secure than she did that very instant. His arm wrapped protectively around her and the remote limply laying in his hand. The warmth that radiated from his body and that deep steady rise and fall of his chest was as close to heaven as she knew she would ever get.

Courtney's heart wrenched as she thought of the coming day. Duncan would be free and she would be there waiting for him, but not as a lover, as his lawyer. The tears stung at her eyes but she forced them back. Her firm had strict rules regarding client relations, and mostly it meant that relationships other then business were forbidden. She could risk her job and indulge in the desires that she so longingly craved, but then she wouldn't be able to save him from prison. As she had planned she would get him out of the correctional system and back into mainstream society. She would get the original charges dropped and reversed against him on the grounds of a conspiracy, after which she would help him to find a home and a good job. Then...then she would have to disappear from his life. Cut her ties with him and continue on about her career. Just thinking it made her hands clench. She would have no life of her own. Her cases would be her life, but she had done it all so that justice could be brought down upon Chris and Duncan could be free. She had done it so that he could have a life,but she refused to think of what her life would be without him.

"Courtney! Girl you look like death warmed over." Her eyes looked up at Laswana as the girl sat across from her. Laswana's big brown eyes looked over Courtney and softened. "Did you finally go to talk to him?"

"Yes. I informed him of the case we are building against McClean and of his release." Lashawna's eyebrow arched and a frown covered her face.

"Did you tell him the rest?"

"No." Lashawna shook her head and reached across the table resting her hand on Courtney's.

"Girl, you do not want to wait until its too late. You tell him as soon as you can, or you would have wished you wouldn't have come back at all."


	4. Chapter 4

**:( you guys don't love me. Well that's okay. I was bored and had this sitting in the back of my mind. Do let me know if you like it, won't you?**

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The pain throbbing behind her eyes was enough to make her want to jump off a cliff. Courtney closed her eyes to keep from staring at the previous contents of her stomach as it swirled in the dingy porcelain bowl. She gagged as her stomach lurched forward, but with nothing to give only the taste of bile and acid filled her mouth. A shudder ran over her as she stood up. She looked with contempt to the small equally dirty sink. She moved over and turned on the faucet letting it run until the water was at least almost clear. Letting the water cup in her hand, she splashed and wiped her face.

Quickly she grabbed the paper towel from the dispenser and dried her face. Her eyes stared back at her from the rust edged mirror. She shook her head at her appearance and quickly when to work clearing the streaked mascara. With a flick of her hand she tossed the paper towel in the trash and used her foot to flush the commode.

What was wrong with her? She knew that this would happen. She knew she would have to pick him up from prison. She knew this! Then why the hell was she so sick about it? Courtney shook her head again as she left the small convenience store restroom.

"You okay sweet heart?" She shot a glare at the overweight middle aged clerk behind the counter. The woman was trying her best to look compassionate through her toothless grin and smoke-aged skin. Courtney nodded and continued out to her car without another word. Quickly she hit the electronic unlock on her key pad and slid into the grey leather seat. She let out a sigh and set her head on the steering wheel.

"Get a grip." She took a deep breath and bit back the urge to scream and burst into tears. She sat back in her seat and shook her head. Such a wimp. With a quiet roar, the Lexus started up without a problem. She pulled her seatbelt around her and checked the mirrors. She adjusted the ac and the radio, and then checked the windows.

"You're stalling." _Shut up!_ God, now she was yelling at herself. She was going to lose her mind before she even got out of the gas station parking lot. She bit her lip and threw the shift into reverse. The trees passed by her in streaks as her mind tried to focus on the road ahead of her. Miles of yellow lines filling her vision in front of the car were no comfort. The sun was high over her head, but she wished it would go ahead and sink into the horizon behind her. That would mean the day was over, and that would mean that she could skip the upcoming confrontation. A growl rolled up through her chest and she threw the wheel to the side. Her car hit the ditch as she jerked it into park. She pulled the keys out and threw the door open. She slammed the door and covered her face with her hands.

_Dammit dammit dammit dammit!_ Courtney let out a puff and crossed her arms over her chest. Some big heatless lawyer she was. She could just call him a taxi, book him a hotel and just see him when he came to court. Yeah that would work. That would work just as well as a termite in a furniture store. She should have just left him alone; to sit in prison for the remaining of his term then she could have gone to him. Her stomach rolled again as she shook her head. How heartless would that have been? Leave him in there to rot out the rest of his sentence just because she was too afraid and uncomfortable to pick him up upon release? She glanced down at her watch and growled. Late. He was going to be waiting. Hell, he's waited three years he can wait for a few more minutes while she tried to keep herself from having a complete mental melt down.

Courtney slipped back into her car and started it. It tugged and pulled as it drove out of the ditch. If she messed up her car she was going to be mad, but she had no one to blame but herself. Her nose curled up at the thought. She hated blaming herself. Her heart went into overdrive as the penitentiary came into view. She felt the urge to bust a u-turn and floor it as hard as she could in the opposite direction, and never ever look back. But forward her car crawled; inch by inch it seemed to creep. Slowly ever so slowly that prison came closer, and a figure appeared. The knot in her throat crawled further as the taste of bile became all too noticeable in her mouth. Her hands cramped from intense grip on the steering wheel as she rolled to a stop. She stared out of the window straight ahead of her and refused to look at him. She mentally prepped herself as she turned off the car. _Get out of the car. No. Yes. No. Get out of the car. Do I have to? Yes! Get out of the car. Okay..one…two…_ Slowly she pushed the door open and stepped out. Her heart was thumbing audibly in her chest as she turned around. Tunnel vision consumed her as she zoomed in on those blue eyes. She blinked away the darkness and forced herself to walk around the car.

Duncan stared at her from his perch against the wall. He was so ecstatic he had no idea what to do. He was already drunk on the taste of freedom, but the tickling thought of rejection still played at the back of his mind. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat but that only seemed to make it worse.

"Well don't just stand there Romeo! Go get your, girl!" Duncan narrowed his eyes and turned to look at Shio. The betty had insisted that the guards let him stand as close to the inner gate as he could. Of course that put him in the yard, but still the little man could yell. As could be expected that drew the entire prison to that side of the yard and the cat calls started. He frowned and turned back to look at Courtney. He grinned inwardly at her business look. Hair kept just so, as always. Make-up without a flaw. His eyebrow perked. Blazer with a matching skirt….short skirt. That was a bonus. He bit his tongue hard driving potentially dangerous thoughts out of his mind. It was not the place or the time to delve in the fact it had been so long since he was even able to touch her hand, much less anywhere else.

"Come on. Get in." She said as she opened the door. He pushed away from the wall and started over to the car.

"KISS HER!!" Duncan stopped and turned around to look at Shio who had climbed up on the fence like a rabid monkey.

"SHUT UP SHIO!"

"KISS HER, DAMMIT!" Duncan rolled his eyes and got into the car. Courtney shut the door behind him and started to walk around the car to get in herself.

"Take care of him, yeah ?!" Courtney turned to see the little man that had been yelling at Duncan. She frowned and for a moment started to ignore him, but against her better judgment, and without fully consulting her brain, she nodded. Subconsciously, she popped her knuckles as she walked back around the car. Her stomach decided to do a cartwheel and she had to stop. She closed her eyes and told herself that she was not going to throw up again. Business…he's only business..

Courtney slid into the driver's seat, fully aware that he was watching her. He had known she would lecture about a seat belt, so he was one step ahead of her. His mind was reeling as he watched her concentrate too hard on starting the car. She was obviously uncomfortable. What scared him senseless was the cause of that uneasiness. Was she just nervous to be around him because of their past, or was it just his past? Was it riding in the car with a convicted felon, or just that flicker of old feelings? He found himself staring at her and had to force his eyes away to look out the window.

"Fall color. It's beautiful isn't it?" Her voice shook as she spoke. Duncan blinked and a smile came to his face.

"It's so much prettier from this side of the wall." His stomach tightened as he looked over the trees. It was true. Behind the walls everything seemed dull and far away. It always reminded him of a painting. Pretty but you know it isn't real because when you reach for it you touch nothing. But outside of those walls, the colors were so vibrant. The smells were so intoxicating, and the taste of fresh air danced on his tongue. He frowned at himself. He was giddy. Men didn't get giddy, or at least real men didn't.

"So.." Duncan closed his eyes. Three years he had been planning the perfect thing to say to her when he got out and all that came out of his mouth was 'so'?

"Are you hungry?"It was a simple question she thought but his eyes almost fell out of his head when he turned to look at her. She smiled at him and looked back to the road.

"What?"

"Princess, I haven't had anything but prison food for three years and you are asking me if I'm hungry." Courtney laughed. She slowed down as she came to an intersection leading onto the interstate. She leaned over to the passenger's side and opened her glove box. She pulled out a small black box and tossed it into his lap as she pulled out to merge with traffic. Duncan eyed the box warily.

"What is this?"

"A bomb." Duncan almost jumped out of the car before he heard her laugh. He looked at her with a cocked eyebrow.

"Not funny, princess."

"Just open the stupid box, Duncan." He looked down at the box skeptically. He picked it up and popped it open. He stared down at a set of barbells. He slowly turned to look at her slowly, his eyes the last to move.

"I thought you might want to get rid of those horrible plastic place holders. When Geoff sent me the letter that they had taken them away from you due to the 'violent nature' of your crime, well…I just got them for you." She rushed the sentence at the end because she was afraid she would say more than she needed too.

Duncan popped the box shut and shook his head. The euphoria of the lack of prison bars was still lighting his vision. He looked at her with a crooked grin as she pulled into a small diner parking lot.

"Usually it's the man giving the woman jewelry." He laughed but his eyes caught a slight glint an almost invisible wash roll over Courtney. He furrowed his brow as he watched her kill the engine. She seemed to shake her head ever so slightly and the look of darkness was gone. Duncan watched as she opened the door and started to get out, but before she stood up he reached over and grabbed her wrist.

"Princess…what's wrong?"He asked as his hand slipped away from her. She looked back at him with a small smile.

"Let's go eat, Duncan. Then I'll explain everything."


	5. Chapter 5

He pushed the piece of meat absently with his fork, watching as all of those delectable juices flowed on the pristine plate. He narrowed his eyes as wave after wave of thoughts pounded into his skull. He looked across the table at the woman who had stolen his heart so long ago and almost cringed at the sadness he saw over her face. Was her feeling over sorrow directed at him or was there something nagging at the back of her mind? Perhaps his body odor was offensive, or his teeth were yellow. He suddenly had the urge to excuse himself to the men's room and check over himself. His eyes skimmed back over her and he fought back the urge to chuckle at how she was ever-so-gently forking her lettuce. He rolled his eyes and tossed his fork onto the plate.

"Okay, princess. Start talking. You said you would explain everything but you haven't said more than two words to me since we got here."

Courtney tried once again to swallow her heart back to her chest but it didn't do any good. She was going to have to talk to him she was going to have to tell him just what was going to happen. She fought back the urge to cry and fling her arms around him. She didn't want to break in front of him and if he didn't quite looking at her like a lost puppy she would have.

"Duncan, what do you expect to do now?" She said, priding herself in the fact that the worry and anguish didn't show in her voice as she had expected it would. He blinked at her a few times and sat back against the sticky vinyl booth. His arms crossed over his chest as he shrugged.

"Get a job I suppose. Find someplace to live. Go to see my folks. But more than anything I'm going to be with you." Duncan frowned as he finished his sentence. He caught a glint of something in her eye and shook his head. She was about to tell him something horrible he could feel it in the pit of his stomach.

"Duncan, I am your lawyer. I cannot be anything more than that." Courtney said her voice wavering slightly. Duncan nodded and looked at her.

"I understand that. But once this case is over, we can take up where we left off, can't we?" He said cocking his eyebrow. A sick feeling settled deep in his chest as her eyes dampened with tears.

"No. Duncan. We can't." She said her voice breaking further until it was a mess of whispering squeaks. He just stared at her. He shook his head and set his arms on the table, leaning over so that he could get a better look at her.

"Why not? Did you find someone else? If so I am happy for you, just wish you would have let me know. Hell, I might have married Shio." He laughed. Courtney frowned at him on the verge of loosing her self control. She shook her head casting back the tears and blinked at him.

"How can you joke like that? No, Duncan. It isn't because I found someone else, because I haven't."

"Then you are choosing not to be with me? Why not? Princess, what changed?"

"I am a lawyer now, and my firm doesn't tolerate personal relationships with clients, current, past or otherwise." The anger twitched at Duncan's face as he shook his head.

"You mean we can't be together because a few uptight old mother fuckers think that it is improper for a prestigious lawyer to talk to a felon outside of work? Sounds an awful lot like your parents if you ask me, sweetheart." Duncan said trying to reel in the pain from his voice, but he ended up sounding more angry than anything, that being fine with him as well. Courtney shook her head. She didn't know what to expect from him when she told him, but this was a predictable reaction. They didn't speak to each other as they finished their meal. But Courtney watched him. Her heart ached to see him upset and her arms panged to be wrapped around him. She wanted to listen to his heart beat, and feel his warmth around her. She wanted to be his. She couldn't and never would be able to again. Never again would she be able to feel that warmth, or the comfort of him holding her. Duncan would have to disappear from her life if she was to keep her job. Her eyes moved up and locked on his. For a moment the world frozen and she could hear the shattering of her heart in her chest. The tears welled in her eyes and she jumped up from the booth and made a straight line for the bathroom.


	6. Chapter 6

**Something I have had sitting around for a while. Thought I should update.**

Duncan's heart ached as he listened to those words echo in his ears. He had been locked away behind stone walls and iron bars, and yearned for nothing but freedom. Now that he was free, that one thing he desired above all else, he couldn't have. In a sense he was once again imprisoned, but instead of it being stone and metal that held him it was rules and laws. He had seen the tears in her eyes and the sadness that washed over her face. Perhaps she still did care for him, but he wasn't going to put more thought in it. He stood and reached into his pocket, pulling out the money he had pulled from his prison account. He tossed a few bills down and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He glanced back over his shoulder at the door to the ladies room, before he walked out the diner door. The sun was shining down on him and he drank it in. The smell of the trees was intoxicating and even the gentle rolling breeze titillated his senses. He didn't know where he was going to go or what he was going to do. Perhaps he would get a job as a body artist. At least it was one thing he could be good at. He grinned to himself. He could always take the three hundred in his pocket, rent out a small building and turn it into a titty bar.

He frowned as he heard tires crunching on the pavement behind him. He dared a glance over his shoulder and sure enough, there was that night black Lexus creeping to a stop behind him. He turned and kept walking. He heard the creak of the door as it was pushed open then the slam quickly following it.

"Duncan…" He closed his eyes and kept walking. He could melt at just hearing her say his name and if he didn't stick to his path he would be putty in her hands. That would be bad. He didn't want to be toyed with. His heart couldn't stand to be torn again and he didn't think his temper would hold either. When it came to problems with women, particularly this woman, he would take a scrap in the prison yard any day.

"Duncan listen to me. Lashawna, Trent, and Cody all need me now just as bad as you do." Courtney said crossing her hands over her chest. Duncan whirled around and stared at her.

"Are you kidding me? How do you know how I need you? What difference is it to you? You bail me out knowing what I would want, what I hoped for? But all along you knew that you were just toying with me."

Courtney clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes at him.

"If you think for one moment that I was stringing you along you are wrong. You don't know how this hurts me. Even if we could be together society wouldn't except it." She hissed stomping her foot on the pavement. He shook his head as he looked at her.

"Are you serious? Society never accepted us any way. The only thing standing in the way of our relationship is your fucking job." He yelled taking a step towards her. She shook her head and unconsciously puffed her chest up.

"Duncan! You are a convict! I am a lawyer! I don't need that kind of reputation!"

"You knew what I was when you got involved with me. I'm only a fucking convict because of that bastard Chris and you know it, princess!" Courtney shook her head at him and turned around. She started walking back to her car, but she stepped on a rock wrong and her ankle twisted sideways. She stumbled forward as the heel broke off of her shoe. She caught herself, skinning the hide off of her palms. She cussed and sat back on the gravel. She pulled her expensive shoes from her feet and threw them as hard as she could. She buried her face in her hands as she broke.

Duncan looked over at her. She was sitting on the side of the road in a Giovani skirt suite, her matching heels on the other side of the road. Her hand held her head, and her knees were bend up, exposing god-knows-what to god-knows-who. He listened to the cries escape her. He shook his head and walked over to her, kneeling down beside her. He let his hand rest on her back but was caught unawares as she swung around wrapping her arms around him.

"Duncan!" She cried burying her head in his shoulder. He closed his eyes as he tried not to let the tears in his eyes fall. He was a man dammit, even if he was a convict. And men don't cry. He stood up pulling her to her feet.

"Let's go win this case. We can work out the particulars after wards, what do you say?" He said trying to sound as arrogant as possible. She looked up at him, her mascara streaking down her face. He wiped the tears from her face and shook his head.

"No more of that." She nodded then looked up at him She reached her hand up grabbing his earring, she pulled his head down and glared at him.

"Don't you ever make me cry again!"

"Yes ma'am!" He smiled and mock saluted her. He remembered suddenly why he liked her. She was head strong, cocky and hell bent on always being right. What a woman.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

Courtney stared out at the expanse of road as they rode once again in silence. The hum of the tires on the pavement and the purr of her engine were the only noises that filled her ears. She could imagine what was rolling between his ears as he stared out the passenger side window. Although, she knew he was probably thinking something completely random. It pained her a little to realize just how well she knew him. Her mind drifted over to what she was going to do with him. She had no idea how he was going to react to the apartment she had rented for him or the stuff she had filled it with. The highway signs passed her in blurs of blues and greens and seemed to grow in numbers as they entered the city. She threw her blinker on and took the exit, letting out a silent sigh of relief. They had actually made it to the city. She had half expected the car to explode and kill them both, or perhaps that was more of wishful thinking than anything else.

It was starting to grow to that dim light of evening and she knew she had a big day ahead of her. She had to make a trip to the mental hospital to visit with Cody and then to the men's correctional two cities over to speak with Trent. She had a lunch meeting with her senior advisors then a pre-trial hearing at one followed by a conference with a client going through an ugly divorce, not to mention now she was going to have to pet Duncan. She groaned audibly as she had given herself yet another headache.

"You alright there, princess?" Duncan asked raising an eyebrow at her. She glanced at him for a moment and smiled half heartedly. Her heart fluttered in her chest every time he called her that. It was a term of endearment that grew from a teasing label.

"Yes. Peachy. Just open up my purse there and hand me the bottle of pills." She asked as she turned onto the commercial street. Duncan looked at the small black clutch between the two chairs. His nose curled up as he vaguely remembered the last time he opened a real woman's purse, not just Shio's when he was feeling pretty. It was his mother's. He had picked it up by the little strap thingy and unzipped it. And what should fall out? What would just leap out at him in an attempt to kill his manliness? Feminine hygiene products. Yep. That's right, plural. Not just a tampon but a pad as well. It was a horrifying experience.

......

What was he thinking!? He spent time in jail! He was a fucking criminal for pete's sake! He saw guys get stabbed in the yard and other....nightmare inducing things, thank god none that had happened to him (of course if don't you count catching Shio on his rag with a bad hair day). He picked up her clutch and twisted the snaps open. Pausing, he took a deep breath testing himself on whether he truly wanted to venture into no-mans land. After arguing with himself mentally and calling himself every thing from a jackass to chicken he decided he was going to make himself shut up. Braving all the knots in his stomach and battling back the memories of killer tampons he looked into the small purse. He raised his eyebrows as he looked inside of it. It was neat....It would figure it was the purse of the Queen of obsessive compulsive perfectness. Modestly packed with only a small money fold and card holder, a tube of lipstick, a pen. The normal purse stuff. He quickly found the small pill bottle and looked at the prescription. It happened to be one he recognized.

"You get migraines?" He asked putting her purse back down. His eyes looked over her as she pulled the car to a stop at the stop light. She took the pills from him and nodded quickly, a string of her hair falling into her face. Her eyes were dark and see seemed a little paler.

"Yeah. I started getting them in Europe. The doctor said that I needed to relax, that the stress was giving me migraines."

"Did you?" Duncan asked as he watched her swallow two of the pills dry. He cringed inwardly remember how that tasted and shook his head.

"Did I what?" Courtney said pulling out onto the street that took them to his new apartment complex. Her head was throbbing and she felt like her eyes were going to burst. If she didn't get home soon and in a hot bath she didn't know what she would do.

"Did you relax?"

"Hah, yeah right. In law school? Listen there is one thing that I don't have and that is time to waste. Relaxing requires time and my schedule book is full."

"You've never lost that 'CIT' attitude have you?" He scoffed and looked out the window. One of her key attractions was also one of her biggest flaws. He looked at the large light brick building that was growing closer. He heard her switch on the turn signal as she slowed down.

"What does that mean?" She asked trying not to sound annoyed. Duncan glanced at her as she pulled to a stop. Obviously he had hit a sour spot. Might as well use it.

"Well when we first met, if you recall sweetheart, you had this 'I can do anything the fuck I want' attitude just because you were a CIT. You didn't think of anything but winning..."

"Yes I did. When you helped me cut loose."

"Yeah but for how long? The last episode of season one you were right back in the thought of winning."

"Are you saying I kicked you to the curb?" Courtney asked killing the engine. Maybe it was just her but she felt like she was getting defensive. She didn't mean to, but she couldn't help it.

"Well yeah. But it's alright, you didn't get a chance as season two anyway." He laughed trying to lighten her mood. He popped the door open and stepped out. He reached his hands high over his head and stretched, his back cracking just enough to release the tension. A frown crossed his face as he realized that she hadn't gotten out of the car. With a cocked eyebrow, he looked into the car to see her resting her head against the steering wheel.

"Babe?" He asked when she didn't answer he ran around to the driver's side of the car. He pulled the door open and she looked up at him.

"I'm just a little dizzy. It'll pass. It always happens like this." Courtney said waving him off. She grabbed her purse and stood up taking the keys out of the ignition. Her head swam in the swirl of colors that blanketed her vision. She held her breath as she waited for it to pass.

"You are sure you're alright? I can't have you falling out with me a convict." He said as he watched her steady herself. She shot him a look that made him wish he could take back what he said. He quickly turned to look at the large brick building in attempt to get that icy dagger out of his forehead.

"This my new cell?"

"Yeah. Paid tv, hot shower, gym in the bottom just like prison." Courtney snorted and began to walk toward the door. She hated the fact that decent people had to work hard to make ends meet when they could just go out and kill someone and have three squares a day, a roof, and plenty of time to think about what they did. She scolded herself for generalizing. After all how much different was she, a lawyer, from some of the criminals behind bars? She had personally seen that a not-so-innocent innocent went to jail just because it was her job to put him there. To convince a jury that he was guilty as hell even if he was just a little guilty. Fuck. She made her head hurt again. She looked over her shoulder at him and frowned as he wasn't following her. "Well aren't you coming?"

"I was just enjoying the view."

"Ha ha. Now move." She snorted, throwing her hand toward the door, and walked up to the door punching in the code. She opened the door as he caught up with her. He looked down at her for a moment, his hands tucked safely in his pockets. He walked inside and fought back the urge to whistle. The place had class. That meant his neighbors were going to hate his guts. He was going to be a fish out of water for his stint here at least until he was transferred to a more appropriate holding cell. He turned as she cussed.

"Come one. The stupid elevator is closed for repair." She said throwing her thumb over her shoulder towards the elevator. He shrugged. Maybe it wasn't as nice as he had thought. She waved for him to follow as she made her way up the stairs. After the second flight her pace had slowed down considerably.

"Are you sure you're alright?" It wasn't only her pace that was concerning. Her face was placid and her demeanor had changed from that of a hoity-toity lawyer to a growling grizzly.

"I'm fine. Just a little out of shape." Courtney said even though her vision blurred. There was only one more flight to go and they would reach his apartment. That became her mantra as she puffed through the fog and urged her legs 'just one more flight'. They climbed the rest of the way in awkward silence with him just on edge to catch her should she fall. She finally reached his floor and was near out of breath. She hated walking up stairs in heals, especially her back up heals. She inwardly cursed herself to clean her entire apartment for breaking her best heals.

"Alright Duncan. You are in room three eighty seven." She said holding up the key to his apartment. She smiled as she led him to his door. As she opened it she felt a sense of right roll over her. She was doing something that should have been done along time ago by society. She was giving Duncan a chance.

_Yes...I will eventually update So much for a simple conversation. I think I have finally beaten down the writer's block._


	8. Chapter 8

**See I told ya I would update tonight.....well at least I told some of you. ~.~ Ok well I hope to have this finished by the end of May....Spirits willing of course. **

Duncan stepped into the cool apartment and closed his eyes, basking in the centreal heat and air before taking another step. The smell of apples and cinnamon filled his nose and his senses were overwhelmed. He blinked his eyes open as she walked past him. She walked over to a large window behind a couch and pulled the cord, parting the large curtains, allowing the evening sun light spill in over the modestly decorated domicile. He held his breath as he looked at the black leather living room set. A small coffee table in the center of the room held various magazines- Courtney's attempt to make the place 'manly'. He looked around spoting various green plants thene his eyes followed her as she walked to the kitchen. He followed her, feeling much like a trained dog following his master. He mused at that thought thinking just how much she would enjoy that metaphor. He stopped in the kitchen as she opened the refrigerator. She turned and looked at him.

"I have you completely stocked with any thing a man could want to eat."

"Anything?" He cocked his eyebrow suggestively. He was rather upset that she didn't take the bait, only shooting him one of those 'I hope you burn' looks that she was famous for. He was trying to be light hearted, enjoy the new place, and at least appear grateful-but he was very concerned. Her face was drawn in and it seemed that sweat beaded along her hairline.

"Maybe you should sit down, princess." It wasn't a suggestion and he tried to voice it that way. She looked up at him and with a flick of her wrist dismissed his direct order as if it were a fly she was batting away.

"I'm fine. Let me show you the bedroom." She pushed herself away from the counter and moved down the hall. He followed her, stopping as she waivered slightly. He frowned. He hated when she lied to him. He could almost taste the lie. She pushed the heavy wooden door open revealing a room with plush burbur carpet and a bed big enough to fight half his cell block and then some. She flipped the switch and held her hand out as he walked in.

"The comforter is silk so try not to get it wet, it's a pain in the ass to clean. The pillows are down so if you are allergic to birds I'll have to replace them. The bathroom is over to the side. There's hair dye, razors, shampoo and everything else that you need in there..." She took a deep breath as her heart pounded in her head. The world was fuzzy and suddenly very pretty.

Duncan was looking through the closet where she had stocked up enough clothes for ten men when he heard the thud and then another. He didn't remember leaving the closet or even falling over the foot of the bed. All he remembed was Courtney sprawled on the floor. He stumbled over to her and said her name. Then again, but she didn't answer.

"Shit!" He cussed and ran, grabbing the phone from the wall. He cussed again as he realized that the phone hadn't been turned on. He ran back and checked on her then hurried to the hall. A small middle agaed woman was opening her door when he yelled. She screamed and spun around unleashing a cloud of stinging black. His eyes watered up immediately causing him to realize just what years without being pepper sprayed did to the immunity that one just might have built up. His eyes burned and watered as he cussed her and tried to make her understand that someone was hurt.

"Get away from me!" He heard her scream as a door slammed. He cussed as he blinked past the pain. He ran to the door next door and after banging on the door for what seemed like minutes a man finally answered.

"Listen! My girlfriend is unconscious and needs help!" Duncan growled before the man had a chance to say anything. The man grabbed his cordless phone and dialed the emergency line as Duncan lead

him back to Courtney.

Duncan splashed his face with water as the man looked over Courtney giving the emergency responders the address and directions to the apartment complex. Duncan dried his face and fell down by Courtney. He tapped her on the cheek with his hand trying to get her to come around. He was pushed aside and the phone forced into his hand as the man started CPR at the instruction of the dispatcher. Fuck. Was the only reasonable word that managed to form in Duncan's head as he robotically answered the dispatcher's questions. He could hear the sirens whirl to life in the distance somewhere, but his vision tunneled and he couldn't see anything but her pale face and lifeless body. He wanted to help but didn't know how. He should have been more in tune to her uneasiness. He cussed audibly then apologized to the woman on the other end of the phone line. He could clearly see that she

wasn't herself-he should have known better than to take her 'I'm fine' at face value. This was something he should have been able to prevent.

He moved out of the way as one of the EMT's shoved past him. He wasn't even aware that they had arrived. The entire world was quiet except the dispatcher's voice and Courtney's shallow breathing. He could see the EMT's talking to the man but their voices were drowned out by his own thoughts. He watched as they loaded Courtney onto a gurney and picked her up. He clicked the phone off and followed the EMT's down the stairs worried that they were going to drop her. But the medic's moved with skill and they finally made it out of the door. Duncan's hearing came slamming back into him as another siren filled the air. He wasn't concerned with it though. He just wanted to make sure that Courtney was alright. Questions spilled from his mouth without consenting his brain first, although it probably wouldn't have contested. _What's wrong with her? Can you help? What can I do?_ He felt absolutely useless as he watched the medics load his princess into the ambulance.

"Can I come with her?" He heard himself say. His voice was alien and strange in his ears. The look that the medic gave him ruffled some far distant reflex that made his pupils dilate and a growl stick in his

throat.

"No." The word was cold and hot at the same time. A primal part of him roared to life in the back of his mind as memories of inflicting pain on others screamed to the forefront of his mind. His blue eyes glared at the medic but shifted as the medic looked past him. The crunching of gavel and the hiss of tires as they came to a stop didn't waiver his instincts. He knew that they were trying to help Courtney but for some reason the fire in his chest wouldn't subside as that little cave man in the back of his mine screamed for him to protect the woman. He could hear the crunching of gravel as someone came toward them, but still his eyes moved and locked on Courtney's pale face. His heart tore as he watched one of the medics administer an IV. Someone took his wrist from behind and panic hit his chest. He whirled about and just as his fist was raised to strike he froze. He stared into the face of a burly police officer and knew what was happening. How could he have not seen that coming? He was obviously left of the right way to be, he shows up red and teary from pepper-spray then drags a stranger to his house where his girlfriend was unconscious with a gahs on her forehead. He closed his eyes as he truend around and let the cold metal cuffs latch around his wrists. Who the hell would believe him? _Fuck._

As they pushed him into back of the car he turned watching as the ambulance doors shut. His heart wrenched as the siren started its mournful scream soon echoed by the siren of the police car. For once more in his life he had to watch from the back of a police car as his heart and soul was wrenched from him unfairly. He leaned forward and set his forehead against the cage. Why did the gods of luck hate him so?

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. If she wasn't alright he didn't know what he would do. He had lost her once he was losing her again, but this time it was more his fault than anything else. He hadn't been provoked to attack anyone. He hadn't vandalized anything or defaced anything. No he did nothing. He sat idly by as his flower whithered and crumpled to the floor. He cursed out loud and sat up.

"Fuck that." He growled again and looked at the back of the heads of the cops. "Listen. I don't know what that douche told you, but my girlfriend is hurt. I had nothing to do with it and I want to make sure she is okay."

"Yeah yeah. We've heard it all before."

"I'm tired of doing nothing! I want to do something. I want to be there and help her. "

"You'll get your one phone call and in the morning you can post bail...that is if you have enough" Duncan didn't need to see the cops face to tell he was being a patronizing ass. He growled and sat back away from the seat. If he could just keep his temper in check and his mouth shut for the next twelve hours or so he could get out if he could get a hold of one of his friends. Then he would go find Courtney. Once he found here, he wasn't ever going to leave her side. If they couldn't be together because of his record so be it. But that didn't mean that he could be her best friend.


	9. Chapter 9

"_What did you do!?"_

"I didn't do anything."

"_Then why are you in jail?"_

"Do you want the real answer or the nice answer?"

"_Duncan, I know you. The real answer will get you in trouble so I'll take the nice answer please."_

"This is a big misunderstanding. I just need you to bail me out and find out where they have Courtney."

"_Have they even questioned you yet?"_

"No."

"_But you have a plan?"_

"No."

"_Typical Duncan. I'll see what I can do. Bye."_

"Bye."

He hesitated in setting the receiver back on the hoook. Life officially sucked, yet again. The officer lead him back to his cell and back to the large man that just reeked to be called Bubba or Cletus. He rooled his eyes as another man, a new comer to the cell, gave him the once over. Obvoiusly the newcomer had been in the pen before. Duncan knew that look all to well. Size up the competition. Pick out those you can pick off and do it before they become a hazard. Yeah, well sorry buddy. He didn't plan on being in there past his appearance before the judge.

"What are you looking at kid?!" Of course he expected something like that from the skinny oaf. A thousand and one good come backs came to mind but he knew if he wanted to get out of there he had to be as un-like himself as possible. But...that didn't mean he couldn't fuck with the guy.

"You just look familiar. "

"Ho ho is that right, little boy?" The man said standing up in an attempt to intimidate. It was then that the smell of liquor curled around Duncan like a boa. So the old fuck was drunk? It just kept getting better and better.

"Watch it pops." Duncan said with a grin crawling across his face. He couldn't remember the last time he purposely pushed buttons of a drunk.

"Who you calling pops?!"

"Well..considering the big guy in the corner could crack me in half, I guess it would be you." He said again. Didn't he tell himself to stay out of trouble? Just to keep his mouth shut and be at least like himself as possible? Perhaps that wasn't a possibility. But befor eanything nmore could be said the cell door rattled.

"Come on Duncan." Duncan glared at the offiver and nodded. Right in the middle of his fun too. It was probably for the better. He would have gotten himself into an even deeper pile of shit- and that was not what he needed at the moment.

He was lead into one of the tiny interogation rooms. He frowned. They always made them so damned small and cold. It was high on intimidation scale and low and actually working. Well he could see a few weak willed cons that would cave due to the forced claustrophobia, but not many. He sat down and watched as the officer unlatched the handcuffs that had been placed on him to just walk down the hall. Trusting bunch of asses, weren't they? He rubbed the redness around his wrist and glared at the cop. He didn't do it because it hurt or because he watned to appear weak, he just happened to know that cops hated it when a suspect would do that. Because, nine times out of ten, it meant that they were going to try to get the handling officer for excessive force. He waited semi-patiently until the head hancho made his appearance. Along side of him was a blonde headed lawyer that looked like he had a pole shoved so far up his ass that it should come out his nose. _Maybe that's what is holding his nose in the air. _Duncan mused to himself. He was a young man but it was clear that the stress of his job had aged him prematurely. He coudln't help but smile as he watched a small bead of sweat curve down the man's temple and run along his cheek, finally disappearing into the collar of his suit.

"Duncan? You...What is your mother going to think?"

"Sorry uncle Jasper..."

"Eh well. I can't save you this time. This is Edward Beuvic, he has some...questions for you."

"I know the routine." Duncan said leaning forward on the small table. His uncle nodded at him and left the room, only to remain behind the two way mirror. The man's cold blue eyes eyed him over-typical lawyer trick, before he took of his blaizer, threw it over the back of the chair and sat down looking at him hard. What Duncan was trying to figure out was who the joke thought he was? There was no one that pressed charges on him and he doubted that Courtney would let a greenhorn like this joker actually be her council. After the initial stare down, one that gave Duncan enough time to slip into his mischevious look. It was a passed time of his that he hadn't been able to shake in prison. Screwing with people that thought they were better than him was just too much fun of a habit to kick.

"So you are Duncan." The man cocked an overly perfect eyebrow at him and sneered. Duncan cocked his eyebrow back and smirked.

"So you are Edward." The convict said not hiding the mockery from his voice.

"Since I don't like looking at you, smelling you or even thinking about speaking to you, I'm going to try and make this quick although it isn't going to be painless. Just what exactly was it you did to Courtney?"

This quirked Duncan's attention. It wasn't like lawyers to speak of anyone by their first names unless . . . His eyes widened a little as amusement sunk into his stomach.

"Courtney? Not very professional there Edward."

"Answer the question." The man had slipped back into lawyer mode, but irritation hid right behind his eyes.

"I didn't hurt her if that's what you were asking."

"Then what did you do to her?" Ah so that's how it was. Duncan grinned.

"What are you asking?"

"Did you threaten her? Drug her?"

"You aren't very good at interogation. Courtney is a lot better." Duncan said with a laugh. This Edward was a true greenhorn- he probably hadn't even had a case yet. As Duncan expected a hint of frustration flared up in the blonde's eyes.

"Alright then lets take a step back. How is it you know the victim?"

"Victim? Are you kidding? She has something wrong with her that I did not do."

"I reinterate: How do you know the victim?"

"Well first off she's was my girlfriend for several years and now she is my lawyer." Duncan said crossing his arms. Edward flipped through a few pages on a notebook, then looked up at him harshly.

"You told the EMT's on the scene that she still is your girlfriend, is that correct?"

"It is not. She is only my lawyer."

"They why did you say she was?"

"Look you aren't going to trick me into a false confession. You might as well tell me when you started getting hot on my ex?" Duncan said with a smirk although referring to his princess as an ex created more of a twinge in his stomach. Edwards fasce flushed either in anger or in embarassment at being called out. He reachced over and hit the button on the table, switching off the voice recorder. Duncan grinned. Free at last-free at last. Things were about to get interesting.

"I don't know what she sees in you. You are a danger to her and anyone else you come in contact with. You are a convict and abuser. "

"And you are who to my princess?" Duncan spat watching the lawyer's eyes grow dangerous.

"That is none of your business."

"Oh okay I get it. You tried to get with Courtney and she turned your sorry ass down flat!" Duncan said with a laugh. He slammed his hand on the table as he pushed his chair back. "You aren't near good enough for her are you, Eddie?"

"You son of a bitch!" Edward growled standing up. Duncan narrowed his eyes as he felt the distinct tension of coming conflict.

"Pretty sad you have to play lawyer just to get information about the guy who is better than you." Duncan growled trying to trip that last wire. Edward growled audibly and slammed his fist on the table.

"I should have you put away back in that shit hole that you belong in." Duncan watched as the temple vein of the lawyer pulsed. He supressed the urge to leap over the table and run the man's head through the double sided mirror. He had this horrible desire to say something regarding a frog and jumping but he decided against it. He merely just leaned back in his chair and plaster his best grin across his face.

"Know what...I want my lawyer."


	10. Chapter 10

**~.~ Oh that last chapter was atrocious. I will edit that chapter. Teach me to write and play video games at the same time. T.T**

Liquid heat rolled over her, moving up from her nose over her eyes to settle in a throbbing sensation over her forehead. A groan escaped her mouth as she slowly forced her eyes to open. It took a moment for her vision to clear but when it did she realized she was staring up at a white tiled ceiling.

Courtney frowned as she tried to bring her hand up to rub her eyes but met resistance. She picked her head up a little, though it was enough to make bile jump to the back of her throat, and looked down at her hand. She frowned even harder at the IV protruding form the top of her hand. She settled back down on her pillow-the frown etched across her face.

"You're awake!" Courtney jumped at the sudden intrusion of a voice and let out a shriek as she jerked the IV part way out of her hand. She looked over at the owner of the voice and started to send one of the most venom laced insults she could think of, but stopped. She blinked at the blonde headed smiling woman a moment before she could pull to her mouth who it was.

"Bridgette?" Courtney said not really sure that the woman standing in front of her was the surfer girl. Bridgette nodded and walked over sitting next to the bed.

"You look like hell, how do you feel?

"Like I look." Courtney frowned. Bridgette patted the lawyer on the arm and shook her head.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, I just sort of blacked out." As if on cue the doctor knocked gently on the door. Courtney and Bridgette both turned to look at the grey headed doctor. He walked in and stood next to the bed.

"Good to see you are awake. How are you feeling?"

"Horrible."

"Well that's to be expected. You hit your head pretty hard when you fell." He said pulling a small pen light from his pocket. He leaned over shining the small light in her eyes then moved up to examine the

row of stitches on her forehead. "Good. Your eyes are still clear. Stitches are working nicely." He stood back up straight and looked down at her.

"Why don't you tell me what happened before you fell?" His tone was carefully neutral but his smile was warm. She took a breath and tried to remember through the throbbing in her skull.

"Where do you want me to start?" She said pushing herself carefully to sit partially up. Bridgette pressed the position change button on the bed until the back was against Courtney comfortably.

"Just before you fell. What were you doing?"

"I was…I was showing an apartment to my bo..one of my clients."

"Ah." The doctor's pen scratched and scribbled on the paper as he wrote down, presumably, what she had said. "Then what?"

"Well I had a head ache. I remember being light headed and dizzy. I was just showing the bedroom to my client when I blacked out." Courtney said feeling some strength coming back to her. The doctor scribbled down on the paper before looking up at her with a cocked furry eyebrow.

"Now this 'client' he is your boyfriend isn't he?" Courtney frowned as her defenses flew into over drive. She hadn't revealed the sex of her client. The doctor sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.

"It still falls under patient doctor privilege. You know I can't tell anyone and if you want your friend to leave we can do that as well. I just have to ask the questions before I can make my final diagnosis." Courtney looked at Bridgette. Bridgette went to stand up but Courtney caught her by the hand painfully. She once again pulled at the IV unintentionally.

"He was my boyfriend. But because I am his lawyer we can't be together." Courtney said sickly. It sounded even more horrible out loud.

"How did he take that?"

"Rather well actually." She snapped.

"Did he hit you? Or push you?" Courtney heard Bridgette choke back a coughing laugh before she stood up and excused herself. Courtney knew her eyes were much wider then they should have been.

"Excuse me?"

"There are some injuries that were not explainable through my originaldiagnosis. "

"No! He didn't hit me. "

"How do you explain the scrapes, bruises and lacerations on your hands and knees?" Courtney blinked at the doctor for a moment then looked down at her palms. She had forgotten about her little fit on the side of the road.

"I had a temper tantrum" She said quietly as her face flushed in embarrassment. The doctor didn't say anything, merely waited patiently for her to explain. She thought it over in her head until she came to

the best explanation. "I was very upset with myself and with Duncan for taking the news so easily. He walked out of a diner and down the road. I followed him we argued for a moment. I turned around to walk away, twisted my heel and broke it off form the sole of my shoe-when I feel I put my arms out to catch myself." The doctor's pen moved over the paper as he wrote down what she was saying. He looked pleased. He gave her a pat on the leg as he stood up.

"That makes me feel a lot better. Now onto why you passed out- Do you take Cafergot for your migraines?"

"Yes." Courtney said suddenly curious as to where her purse was. The doctor looked at her for a moment before continuing his questions.

"How often and how many milligrams?

"I take them as I need them."

"How many?"

"I take two five hundred milligrams."

"Jesus." The doctor said before he could stop himself. He flipped through his notes and looked at her a little harder.

"How many did you take before you passed out?" Courtney thought for a moment. She mentally ticked off on her fingers how many she had taken.

"I took six." She said looking up to the doctor. His old face blanched as he looked at her. He sat down on the side of the bed again and looked at her.

"You are a lawyer? You should be smarter than this."

"What do you mean?" She said. Her defenses were still high and her head was throbbing she didn't have time to play medical mind games. She needed to go home clean up so she could rest before all her meetings.

"How long have you been taking three thousand milligrams of Cafergot a day?"

"For about a month. The regular dose stopped working." Courtney said sharply. The doctor shook his head in disbelief then regained his composure.

"It is really a wonder you don't bleed green. But what happened to cause your fainting spell is an adverse reaction to your migraine medicine. After a period of time the body builds up immunities to some medicines signaling that it is time to change prescriptions. But instead of introducing a new medicine to your system that would actually help, you forced your body to deal with more. In turn your body began to attack the medicines as if it was a foreign body. Basically your body went into shut down mode so that it could repair itself." The doctor said standing up again and scribbling in his note

pad. "When you came in with the gash there were blood test ordered, a cat- scan and x-rays done and an EKG. The x-rays showed no fracture or breakage of the skull and the cat-scanned didn't show any internal bleeding. There weren't any masses either. So I am a bit confused as to why you have such severe migraines?"

"I don't know. " She frowned as she looked at her wrist only to find her watch was also missing. She squinted around the bright room as she tried to find a clock. "What time is it?"

"Fifteen after one." The doctor said as he finished his notes. She frowned and shook her head. Her heart started racing as she realized what happened.

"What?! No! I have to get up! Oh my god! I've missed three appointments already!" She said swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"You aren't going to be released until your toxicity levels drop. Which reminds me the nurse should be in to take your blood in a few minutes."

The doctor said watching her start to hyperventilate. He added together why her migraines were so severe.

"You are over stressed. That's why you have migraines. So I'm taking you off of Cafergot and placing you on Dematrol. You should be able to leave by three if you're out of the danger zone."

"You don't understand. I am a lawyer. I have several clients counting on me not to mention a very prestigious lunch meeting!"

"You also have visitors." The doctor said sternly. He turned and started to walk out the door. "Do you want me to send them in?" Courtney frowned nodded. She wasn't going to be happy about it though.

She looked up as instead of her visitors the nurse walked it.

"I have to draw some blood first."


	11. Chapter 11

**Fast enough update for ya? I thought so ^.^**

Duncan smiled as he walked out of the jail house. He tripped up poor little Edward by asking for his lawyer. They had to end the interrogation right then and there. He grinned even wider as he jumped into the passenger side of an old blue pick up.

"You're a life saver, man."

"No problem bro." Geoff said pushing his cowboy had up so he could see Duncan better. "I wish I could have seen the man's face. Was it as priceless as I imagine?"

"Better. When you posted my bail I thought he was going to shit himself." Duncan grinned as the truck roared to life. "Did you find out where Courtney is?"

"Yeah. Bridg is already there with her. She called me just a few minutes ago and told me that she is awake."

"Good. Hey..where's the kids?" Duncan asked looking at Geoff. The blond beamed, his smile stretching from on side of his face to another.

"With my folks. Dude, once this is all blown over we should totally get together and have a party."Geoff laughed causing Duncan to smile. Same old Geoff, even being a father didn't change his partying habits.

Duncan let out a breath through is teeth. He hated hospitals. He followed Geoff to the elevator and waited patiently as the machine pulled them to the third floor. Through winding corridors and clouds of medicinal smells they eventually rounded the corner to the hall Courtney was kept on. Duncan smiled as Bridgette stood up from the bench she had been sitting on. He shook his head as he looked at her zip hoody stretch to the limit over her seven months and counting belly. Geoff was instantly attached to Bridgette. It was a miracle that he was able to get Geoff away from her long enough to pick him up. Bridgette smiled and shook her head at the delinquent. She threw her thumb over her shoulder pointing toward the door.

"The doctor just left. A nurse is in there taking her blood. You should have seen Courtney's face when he ask if you were the one that did all that too her." Bridgette laughed.

"Is she alright?"

"Well I heard her screaming a few minutes ago when the doctor came out. But you should probably go in first." She said matter-o-factly. Duncan grinned at her. That just meant it would give her and Geoff a moment. He sighed and leaned against the wall. He wasn't going to go in there while a nurse was drawing blood. Blood and guts never bothered him, and still didn't bother him; he just didn't want to go in there. The nurse came out after a few seconds but still Duncan stood against the wall. He had an awkward feeling twirling in the bottom of his throat and he didn't like it. After once again calling himself a chicken mentally, he pushed away from the wall. He stood in the door way for a moment entertaining himself by watching her fume and pout. She obviously realized that she was missing her meetings either that or she didn't agree with what the doctor had to say- which would be very like her to do. She looked over at him then and frowned even deeper. She glanced around for a moment causing him to laugh.

"What are you looking for?"

"Something to throw at you." She hissed as he walked into the room. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her.

"What did I do to deserve that, princess?"

"You let them keep me here." She hissed again and opted on throwing the only thing she could reach at him – her pillow. He caught it and shook his head.

"Well I really didn't have much to say about that, sweetheart. I was kinda arrested." He said tossing the pillow on her feet. She blinked at him a moment then patted the side of the bed next to her.

"What did you do?"

"Apparently I beat you." He said as he sat on the bed. Her eyes grew wide and she shook her head. So

that was why the doctor kept asking. She narrowed her eyes.

"Who had you arrested?"

"It must have been the fucker in the next apartment." He growled and leaned back against her legs. She frowned harder and looked at him.

"…Which apartment?"

"I don't know the one next to mine?"

"Right next door?"

"Yes! Fuck, princess what the hell do you think neighbor means!?" He snapped. She nodded and looked

at the phone just out of reach on the nightstand.

"Hand me that phone. I need to make a phone call."

"To who?"

"Just do it!" She snapped. Obviously she hadn't had the best night either. He stood up and grabbed the phone setting it on her lap before he sat back down on the edge of the bed.

Courtney grabbed up the receiver her face hot in anger. She couldn't believe this was happening. She was going to have someone's head if it killed her (and judging by what the doctor said it just might). She looked at Duncan and huffed.

"Did they charge you with anything?"

"No, but Geoff posted my bail." He said cocking his eyebrow at her. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. So that was how Bridgette had found her. The phone rang in her ear as she looked back to him.

"Did anyone come to the jail house to see you?"

"Yeah, actually. An admirer of yours."

"Edward?" She half signed and half hissed. She settled back against the hard mattress and shook her head.

"Yeah." Duncan replied and stood up. He picked up the pillow and pushed her forward, despite her protests and stuffed the pillow behind her.

"I'm going to kill the bastard." She mumbled as the phone continued to ring. Aggravation settled in between her ears and she was just about to loose her temper when a small voice answered.

"Nancy? Is Scotts in?...Yes I'm fine. No Nancy, he didn't do it. …Yes I'm taking care of my self. ……No No I don't want you to fix me lunch. Can I just talk to Malcom?" Courtney couldn't help but smile. The old secretary was such a worry wart but it did make her feel better to hear the woman's voice. She rolled her eyes as she looked over at Duncan.

Duncan waited while she was on hold. He heard Geoff and Bridgette quietly walk in behind him and sit in the chairs against the wall. He glanced at them and shook his head. He almost jumped out of his skin as Courtney's voice broke through the silence.

"Malcom!....Yes I'm fine. No you wait I talk now. I want to know why the hell my client was arrested on assault charges……No if he didn't don't you think I would have pressed the charges myself?.....Well who told Edmund that I was assaulted?" Courtney paused and looked at Duncan. "Oh so you mean he just assumed based on my clients appearance the he had assaulted me…. Then why was Edward allowed to speak with him?...." Courtney's face flushed in anger as she shook her head. "Well you know what I want you to prepare a civil suit against him….I don't care if he IS your nephew. He had neither right nor business doing what he did. I am going to press for slander and liable, defamation of character, court cost not only for my client but for reparation of bail monies. I am also going to push for emotional distress and physical damages…..Oh you don't think I have a case for physical damages? Well I'm in the hospital due to stress and now I have even more stress on my shoulders due to the negligence and ignorance of your nephew. So I suggest you make this write or I will have to take McWilliams and Son's over under serious reconsideration." She snapped. She listened for a moment and grinned. "Well I'm glad to know that you were thinking of me, Malcom. Tell Fredrick not to worry I'll be back soon. ....Yeah....No I'm not upset with you and I am not threatening. I just don't like my clients or myself being taken advantage of for the benefit of someone's uncontrollable hormones and misplaced aggression. .....Yes that goes for Edmund too....Yeah.....Bye." She set the phone down and let out a breath. That actually felt rather good to get some of that pent up frustration out in the open. She looked at Duncan with a sigh.

"Okay who...you lost me there, precious." Duncan said splaying his fingers wide. Courtney shrugged.

"Melissa lives in the apartment next to yours. Edmund is her ex husband, who is also Edward's half brother. I don't know why but Edmund was at Melissa's apartment. Apparently after Edmund recognized me he thought he'd play a little game with you."

"That doesn't fly. I'll go fix that little mot...." Duncan got up but stopped as Courtney's finger caught his belt loop.

"Sit." It was a simple command but he found it hard to obey especially with two other people in the room. He turned and looked at her as he sat back down.

"Woof."


	12. Chapter 12

A ceiling fan twirled slowly over head and the smell of fresh linens filled her nose. She blinked at the ominous fan as it took her a few minutes to remember where she was. She sat up letting the black sheet fall away from her. A string of curses left her mouth as she grabbed her head. Colors swam and a small bit of bile shot to the back of her throat. She turned and held her head as her feet rested on the soft burber carpet. She let out an aggravated sigh and stood up slowly, steadying herself so she wouldn't face plant. She shuffled over to the bathroom and flipped on the switch. She let her eyes adjust to the blinding whiteness as she stood in the door way. She looked around with a weak smile. The bathroom smelled like Duncan's deodorant and cologne. There was still a lingering bit of steam from a shower taken not to long ago. She shook off her daze and walked over to the sink.

Twisting the handle took more effort than it should have because she was still partly asleep. She let the water run over her fingers for a moment before cupping her hands under the faucet. She watched the small pool of water grow before she quickly splashed her face. She grabbed one of the fluffy towels from the wall and dried her face, almost forgetting about the stitches in her forehead. She set the towel down and moved around the bathroom pulling out a wash cloth and another large towel. Before long she had a waterfall of steaming goodness raining down into the ceramic bath tub. She dropped her shirt to the floor and stepped into the warmth. With a sigh she let the water roll over her.

Duncan had brought her back to his apartment after the doctor released her. He didn't want her to be unsupervised. She didn't think she was that bad but for once Duncan actually stuck to doctor's orders. Lucky her. Not that there relationship wasn't already strained enough! Courtney leaned forward setting her forehead against the tile, the drumming of the water numbing her skin. She needed to get back to work. She would never win the case if she wasn't the one talking with her clients and building the case. It wasn't that she didn't trust the guy that was standing in for her it was just that he was a bumbling idiot. She killed the water and stepped out onto the bath mat, her feet still tingling from the heat. She caught her reflection in the mirror and cringed. There wasn't enough make up in the world to cover the gash on her forehead or enough concealer to hide the dark circles under her eyes. She grumbled as she wrapped the towel around her. Her stomach turned and voiced its hunger obnoxiously. What was it bitching about? She wasn't hungry. But her stomach voiced is whole hearted opinion again. She grumbled as she made her way back to the bedroom.

"Hell.." She cussed as she realized she hadn't thought to leave clothes as his apartment. Of course, though, she hadn't planned on being at his apartment that much. She threw the blankets back over the bed in a half-assed attempt to make it look decent. She gave herself a pause as she looked over the bed. Now that she thought about it she had decorated the apartment to her tastes. What man would actually appreciate satin sheets? That was something she had not caught herself doing in the process. Shaking the thought out of her head she walked over to the closet and pulled out one of his short sleeved shirts. She dropped the towel and pulled the shirt over her head. She walked over to the chest of drawers and found the one she had stocked with his under clothes. She stopped and shook her head. Again she filled it with things she liked. Especially the set of silk boxers. She shivered as chills ran over her and opted for a pair of cotton lounge pants instead. She moved her way into the kitchen and frowned. There was a dirty plate and empty class sitting in the sink, the newspaper scattered over the table and not a Duncan to be found. She sighed and started loading the dishwasher, she'd start it after she had a cup of coffee. She set the pot on to boil and walked around into the small living room. She stopped and looked down at the couch. Duncan had slept on the couch with a cotton sheet and plain pillow while she got the elaborately decorated bed. Her heart hurt at the sight of that. She walked over and sat down on the couch and pulled his pillow into her lap. She folded her arms around it and sighed. She hated herself at the moment. She closed her eyes and dove into her memories. He still smelled the same. After all those years apart he still held the same scent and it intoxicated her just as much. She jolted and yelped out loud as her cell phone rang. She stumbled over the coffee table and grabbed the small device.

"Hello?"

"Courtney? We have a problem." Courtney recognized the voice on the other end and her stomach curled while her heart dropped.

"Duncan? Where are you?"

"I'll be there in a minute."


	13. Chapter 13

Tension fell over the apartment and she felt as if she was going to hyperventilate. She dropped the phone on the couch and stumbled over to the small kitchen. She tore through the cabinets and drawers until she found where she had hide the paper bags. She cussed again as she realized how she had stocked the kitchen. When would a MAN ever need a paper bag? She took a deep breath watching the bag expand and shrink. What was she thinking? She could think of at least a dozen uses a man could have for a paper bag off the top of her head. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing. She wasn't thinking rationally? Or would that be logically? Shit, it didn't matter- all that was rolling through her mind was what kind of trouble Duncan had gotten himself into. With a violent shiver, she held the bag to her mouth pulling the air in and pushing it back out as she walked through the apartment. She hit the button to turn the heat off under the coffee pot and then the button to start the dishwasher. She watched as the bag methodically puffed up and collapsed as she walked over and picked up the pillow tossing it back into the couch. She set the bag down feeling a tad bit calmer.

With a flick of her wrists she snapped the blanket straight and proceeded to quickly fold it before laying it back on the couch for him. That was considering that she didn't kill him as a result of whatever it was he did. She took a deep breath and tried to shake the thought out of her mind temporarily as she picked up her cell phone and set it on the TV. Suddenly she felt the need to keep herself very busy. She walked back into the bedroom and proceeded to accurately make the bed. She sighed and walked- rather jogged- into the bathroom, picking up the discarded towels wiping the mirror. Basically, doing meaningless task to keep her mind off of the problem at hand. As if that certain PROBLEM wasn't already enough of a problem. She sighed and tossed the towels in the waste basket. She turned and gathered herself for a moment. How long was his minute?

Courtney brought her hands up and dry washed her face. With a great deal of effort she set her feet moving again. She walked back into the kitchen and poured out the now wasted hot water. Her desire for coffee had ebbed quickly. Or more appropriately it was chased away by the agonizing nausea that was bombarding her stomach due to possibility that she was going to have to beat a man senseless. She sighed and dropped the pot rather aggressively into the kitchen and leaned against the edge of the sink. Her breathe heaved from her chest in the form of a sigh and she looked up and out of the small window. She frowned and leaned further over the sink as she watched her night black Lexus roll slowly into the parking lot. It came to a smooth stop in an empty space. She didn't even have time to be angry with him for taking her car. She was entirely too busy trying to keep her heart at a nice easy pace. She took even breaths and watched as he fiddled in the driver's seat for a moment. He was stalling. But what was the reason behind it? What had he done that had him so upset? What was it that he wouldn't tell her on the phone? Where the hell had he been? She growled and almost beat on the window to get his attention but before she could he opened the door. Her blood ran cold as ice as he stood up. The front of his clothes were splattered with red.

_FUCK! _She shook the word from her head as she took in a jagged breath. Maybe its just kool-aid? She watched as he looked around sending her doubt even further. She cracked her knuckles compulsively feeling the twinge of a head-ache beginning. She watched as he popped the trunk. Her mind began rolling as she watched him disappear behind the trunk and her head began to feel entirely too light. She was NOT about to faint again. She was not going to become one of those damsels in distress that swoons or falls out about everything. She watched as he milled about for a moment longer before slamming the trunk shut. Her heart knotted up into her throat as she watched him throw a large duffel back over his shoulder.

Her knees buckled causing her to fall against the sink. She gripped the counter as she tried to fight off the sudden onslaught of light headedness. Her mind was working over time as a sick realization sunk into her core.

_That duffel bag was just big enough to put a body in._

Vomit coated the back of her throat as she watched him sling the bag over his shoulder with some difficulty. His eyes scanned the parking lot before he started walking. Great! He was checking to see if anyone was looking. She shivered as her mind rolled over the possibilities. Chris was the obvious and first person to come to mind. There were too many reasons to count as to why Duncan would want Chris dead. Hell, she wouldn't mind dancing with glee on the hosts grave as he rotted in a nice pine box. She blinked back the thoughts as she remembered that now he actually had less reason to commit murder then prior to his prison sentence. She was in the middle of building a fairly significant case against the loud mouth loon. Was there another enemy? Did he know someone on the outside that had spent time with him in jail?

She watched as he disappeared under the awning and into the door of the apartment complex. She let her knees bend as she slid down the cabinet. She stared at the wooden cabinet doors as she racked her brain as to who it could be in the bag. Who would Duncan have killed? She closed her eyes and shook her head.

Upon forcing herself to stand back up, she stumbled backwards as if she had been hit with a baseball bat. Edward! Duncan could have very easily killed Edward. There wasn't any telling as to how many times Edward had called while she was at the hospital or how much Edward had successfully harassed Duncan. Edward was the type of person to push someone's buttons until they snapped and the old Duncan didn't have very many buttons to push. That in mind she didn't know how deep the 'old' Duncan was hiding. Her faced flushed hotly. Would he kill for her? Was she so self absorbed that she would allow herself to believe that? Before she had time to give any more thought to that thought another thought popped into her head. It was broad fucking day light. He was bringing a body up to his own apartment covered in blood in midday! Her chest filled painfully with air and was forced back out as she began to hyperventilate. There wasn't a defense attorney that she knew that could take a case with that much hard evidence. Her hands found her head as her fingers gripped her hair. She felt like screaming. She would be in the apartment. She would be an accessory to murder. She would lose her license. She would go to jail. She couldn't survive in jail. She stumbled over the couch as she made her way to the door. She quickly latched the door and turned to locks. While trying to calm her breathing, she put her back to the door and slid down until she was sitting.

Tears burned her eyes as she tried to think. Thats what she had to do. Think. There was a way out of it if she could calm herself enough to think logically. Wait. She couldn't leave him out in the hallway covered in blood and holding a body. He would knock twice that nosy ass heifer Ms. Houston, would stick head out and start yelling. Then she would call the cops. Cops were bad. At that moment in her thought process, cops were very bad. She quickly jumped up and started unlocking the door. She swung the chain lock off and threw the door open.

Duncan stood eyes wide, covered in blood splatter, with one hand raised to knock on the door. She grabbed him by the hair and drug him in, obscenities streaming from his mouth thicker than molasses. She tried to calm her huffing and puffing as she pushed him into the living room. She slammed the door shut and quickly went to work locking back the barrage of dead bolts and chain locks. She turned around - her face red and eyes wide with pin-point pupils.

"What the hell is wrong with you, princess?" Duncan growled dropping the bag on the floor with a sickening thunk. Her faced turned ten different shades of pale before turning a nice sea-foam green. Her knees once again buckled sending her collapsing to the floor. Duncan jumped over the bag and the coffee table. He grabbed her arm to help her up but she screamed. He jumped back with his hands up to show innocence as he stared at her, his eyes the size of dinner plates.

Courtney jolted to her feet, jerking her shirt off and started scrubbing her arm to get the blood off. The hand print smeared on her skin turning the shirt a deep pink. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at Duncan.

He was trying hard to remain as still as possible so that he wouldn't freak her out. He was going to have to find out what she had been smokin, poppin, or snortin before he made any solid conclusions. It was rather hard to stay focused though as she scrubbed her arm, her bare skin dancing enticingly. Of course that was filed away in the back of his mind for later.

Suddenly her onyx eyes jerked up to meet his. She stumbled over, pushing him out of the way, as she made her way to the duffel. She squatted down and fought to unzip the bag as the zipper hung several times due to her haste. She finally ripped it the rest of the way open and spread it wide. She looked down in horror then frowned. Her horror turned to confusion as she blinked down at several unopened paint cans. She turned and looked at him with wide eyes.

"What's this?"

"Um...work?" Duncan said slowly lowering his hands. Courtney's face turned from green to bright read as she realized she was topless. As if she was shot out of a cannon she disappeared into the bedroom.

Duncan squatted down and zipped the bag back up. He picked it up and moved over to the coat closet. After fitting it carefully into the closet he turned around pulling his shirt off over his shoulders. He walked over to the couch and fell backwards as he pulled his stained paints off. He cussed as he realized that they were completely ruined. He flung the pants over the couch so that they landed on his shirt and Courtney's as well. He stood up and brushed his boxers off.

Courtney walked back out of the bedroom with her arms crossed over her chest. She narrowed her eyes and looked over him. Her breath hitched as she noticed his bareness. Not only was he a little darker as far as complexion went, he also had a few more ripples and grooves that she remembered. She shook her head casting the thoughts from her mind reminding herself that she was still steamed at him.

She looked at him. He looked at her. He blinked at her and she blinked right back.

"Care to explain yourself?"

"Well...I was helping a guy paint his house and he gave me a job. I didn't have a truck to put my paints in yet so I brought them home." He said looking back at the closet, his hand moving from his side slightly in an half-assed attempt to point. She narrowed her eyes.

"Okay so what was the problem."

"I got paint in your trunk."

"........" Courtney stared at him as her fists clenched. She shook her head and started laughing. Duncan brought his hands back up fearing another freak out. She looked at him and shook her head again.

"Do you want some coffee?"

"Are you going to poison me, princess?"

"No..not yet."

"Are you going to tell me what is wrong with you?"

"You made me crazy." She laughed and walked over and sat down at the table. Duncan moved over in an effort to join her but she held her hand up. "No. Go wash first."


End file.
